Draft gears



June 28, 1960 E. H. BLATTNER DRAFT GEARS Inventor: Emil H. Blmttner By MW-M M 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 16, 1956 his Attorney June 28, 1960 E. H. BLATTNER DRAFT GEARS Filed Aug. 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I I I I 1 Invenior Emil H. Blattner his AHorney Patented June 23, 1960 DRAFT GEARS Emil H. Blattner, Williamsville, N.Y., assignor to Symington Wayne Corporation, a corporation of Maryland Filed Aug. 16, 1956, Ser. No. 604,553

7 Claims. ((31.213-46) This invention relates to draft rigging.

The A.A.R. committee on couplers and draft gears is now contemplating increasing the length of the present standard 24 /8 draft gear pocket to as much as 36" in order to accommodate long travel draft gears of high capacity sufiicient to absorb the greater shocks, mainly under buffing forces, to which freight cars are being subjected in humping and other service.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a draft rigging which not only is capable of affording a draft gear pocket of the extra length contemplated, but incorporates, in the form of a reversible rear follower member of particular construction, means for reducing the pocket to one of present standard length when, because of a breakdown or otherwise, it is desired or necessary to apply a draft gear of the present standard length.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved draft rigging wherein a draft gear pocket of the maximum length contemplated may be converted selectively to accommodate draft gears of both the present standard and intermediate lengths.

An additional object of the invention is to provide for a draft gear pocket of the maximum length contemplated, an improved long travel draft gear of selective travel wherein a plurality of cushioning mechanisms are arranged in tandem, one within and the other rearwardly of a yoke, at least the rear mechanism being a rubber cushion interposed between confronting fiat walls of the yoke and a rear follower and the yoke being so connected to an associated coupler as to permit rearward relative movement of the latter coextensive with the travel of the mechanism within the yoke, whereby under bufiing forces the straps of the yoke are relieved of stress and metal-tometal contact is avoided.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a draft rigging an improved reversible rear follower member which in one position serves as a conventional rear follower block and, on reversal, acts as a forward extension of the back stop to decrease the length of the draft gear pocket.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the improved draft rigging of the present invention with portions broken away and shown in section to more clearly illustrate certain of the details of construction;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the draft rigging of Figure 1 with certain portions shown in section;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the lines ,3-3 of Figure 4 showing the relation between the combined back stop and center filler and reversible rear follower member of the preceding figures and an associated draft gear and yoke when the follower member is reversed to decrease the length of the draft gear pocket.

Figure 4 is a plan view partly in section of the structure shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 of Figure 7 showing the draft gear pocket adapted to accommodate a draft gear of intermediate length; and

Figure 7 is a plan view partly in section of the structure of Figure 6.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved draft rigging of the present invention is designed to fit between the center sills 1 of a railway car (not shown) and comprises a pair of rear stop lugs 2, one at either side of the center sills 1, the stop lugs preferably being integral with and forming the front ends of the slide walls 3 of a combined back stop and center filler unit 4. The longitudinal spacing between the stop lugs 2 and king post 5 of the combined unit 4 is made considerably less than post 5 is a forwardly opening pocket 3 which, for increased strength of the unit, may be interrupted intermediate its height by a horizontally disposed reinforcing web 9 joining the rear stop lugs 2, side walls 3, and king 7 post 5 of the unit, the web being lightened without decreasing its strength by a concave indent It? in its front edge 11.

Within the center sills 1 forwardly of the combined back stop and center filler unit 4 is a reversible rear follower or stop member 12 having a bifurcated portion forming a pair of longitudinally extending substantially parallel legs 13 joined at their inner ends by an integral, vertically disposed flat or planar block, block portion or Wall 14 adapted in any position to bear against or engage the rear stop lugs 2. Reinforced by horizontally disposed ribs 15 connecting its legs 13 and wall 14, the reversible follower member 12 between its legs has a longitudinally opening recess or cavity 16 which, in the position of the follower member shown in Figures 1 and 2, in which its legs fit between the rear stop lugs 2 and project or extend rearwardly thereof toward the king post 5, enables the legs to straddle the horizontal reinforcing web 9 of the combined unit. While its legs 13 are vertically spaced in that position, when the follower member is reversed in the manner herein contemplated by turning it end for end as well as rotating it through about a horizontal axis, the legs will be horizontally spaced and project or extend into andbe disposed at either side of the draft gear pocket 7. Thus, in the latter position, the legs 13 serve as forward extensions of the rear stop lugs 2 and are adapted to straddle or bridge a rear wall 17 of an associated yoke 18 and engage at either side of that wall the rearwardly directed face 19 of a rear follower block 20 or other rear part of a draft gear 21 contained within the yoke, this arrangement being shown in Figures 3-5.

With the rear wall 17 of the associated yoke 18 accormodatable in the recess 16 in the reversible follower member 12 and able to move rearwardly therein, and'the vertically disposed faces 22 at the free ends of the legs 13 then functioning as rear stop lugs in place of the fixed lugs 2, the reduction in the length of the draft gear pocket obtainable by reversal of the reversible follower member will depend entirely on the length of the legs 13,- that here intended being down to the 24 /8" length the present standard draft gear pocket. 7 v

In the normal position of reversible follower member 12, shown in Figures 1 and :2, in which its'legs' 13 project rearwardly of the rear stop lugs 2 into the combined unit 4, the flat or planar surface or face 23 of the leg-connecting wall 14 at the opposite end of the unit is especially suited to bear against and serve as the reactancefor a 1 rubber rear cushioning unit or mechanism 24; of 'a selective travel draft gear, the rubber unit preferably being formedin the usual manner of alternating flat m'etal plates 25 and rubber pads 26. Bearing against the opposite or outer end of'the rubber cushioning mechanism is a fiat rear Wall 27 of a yoke 28 within which is contained a second cushioning mechanism'29 which maybe in'the form of a rubber, friction or combined rubber and friction draft gear, one of the "third type particularly suited for such application being the draft gear of my copending application Serial No. 475,350, filed December 15, 1954.

Since with the rubber cushioning unit 24 interposed between it and the rear stop lugs 2, the cushioning mechanism 29 must be compressible Within the yoke 28 for the tandem-arranged mechanisms to cooperate in bufi, it is necessary to provide between the yoke and an associated coupler 30 for relative rearward movement of the coupler substantially coextensive with thetravel of the cushioning mechanism 29 in order to render'the contained cushioning mechanism effective or operative under bufiing forces. depend upon the type of the associated coupler, this in general requires 'a pin and slot connection with theslots in the yoke straps rearwardly elongated to accommodate the travel of the contained orfrontmechanism'. Thus, for the alternate standard Type F coupler of -theillus- 7 dated embodiment, which, .while universally movable relative to 'a yoke, conventionally is connected to move longitudinally in unison with the yoke by a connecting "pin 31, the pin-receiving openings in the yokestraps 32 are rearwardly elongated toprovide pin' slots 33 of the required length. V

The balance of the structure illustrated in'Figures l and 2 in the main is conventionaLthe front stop or draft lugs 6 being integral with a combined striking casting and a coupler carrier 34 pocketing a resiliently supported carrier iron 35. However, there are two exceptions. The first is the provision on the from follower block 36 of forwardly extending ears 37 having sockets 38 attheir forward ends 'for engaging theconnecting pin 31 above and below the butt39 of thecoupler so as to minimize canting of' the-front follower block under bufiing forces. The second exception is an increase in the length of the shank 40'of the couplerso that the distance between its horn 41 and 'the striker 34 'ofthe draft gear, some'4 /z" in the illustrated embodiment;

In the disclosures of Figures 1-5, the same eon's'truc tion serves for the application ofboth a long (4 /27) travel and 'a presentstandard 2 /2 traveldraft gear to While the particular'structurewill of the legs 13 has no difliculty in clearing the'bottom webv 1 combined striking casting and coupler carrier 34 is 'sufeficient to accommodate the total travel in buff of the .the spirit of the invention 46 of the combined back, stop and center filler unit 4. However, if, in addition to the two alternatives thus far described, it is desired to adapt the pocket 7 to take a draft gear of a travel in between the two extremes, some revision in structure is necessary. The main one is the replacement of the reversible rear follower by'a rear follower block 47 positioned within and bearing against the rear wall 48 of an associated yoke 49 and having at its ends a pair of rearwardly directed arms 50 straddling the rear wall of the yokeand adapted to bear against the fixed rear stop lugs 2. "The use of such'a U-shaped rear follower block permits the same, fixed rear stop lugs to be employed with all three forms of draft gear, but the bottom web of the preferred combined unit previously described, while having its leadingtedge set back somewhat from the stop lugs 2, would interfere with the rear wall 48 of the yoke 49 0f this third form of draft gear on maximum rearward movement. Consequently, when provision is to be made for this'third alternative, the bottom web '46 of the combined unit 4 intermediate its sides, is cut back, as at 51 to clear 'the rear wall of the yoke, t I a I From-the above detailed description, it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved draft rigging afliording a draft gear pocket of suflicient longitudinal dimension to accommodate along travel draft gear,

modifiable by meansincorporatedin the draft rigging to shorten the pocket to accommodate a draft gear of present standard travel and further modifiable by substitution of a different rear follower, to accomm'odate a draft gear of medium travel. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended tobe included which do not depart from either or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim:

1. In a draft rigging, the combination with center sills and front stop lugs fixed thereto, of rear stop lugs fixed to said sills and defining therewith and with said front, 7

stop lugs a draft gear pocket and a member ins'ertible between said Stoplugs andselectively positionable to vary the length of said pocket for accommodating draft gears of different length, said member comprising a block portion engageable with said rear stop lugs and a. bifur- 'cated portion integral with and projecting longitudinally of saidpocket from said block portion,- said bifurcated' portion in one position of said member being insertible between and extendingrearwardly of said rear stop lugs ,and inanother position extending forwardly thereof and .the draft'g e ar pocket 7. Thus,.thefsame intermediate 7 'cro'ss tie or tie'plate 42 underlying'the pocket and fixed as by riveting to the bottom fiange's '43 on ;either side to underlie and support'either the rear cushioningfunit 24 or the reversible rear follower 12,"; depending 'ori'thearrangement used. In the case of the reversible rear follower 12, the' rear cross tie '44supports not only the follower block 14 but also the legs 13 when the. latter are directed. forwardly, the rear cross tie for this purpose 7 preferably being provided with a pairkoftransversely 'spaced longitudinally extendingsupport plates or flangesf 0f the center sills 1, supports :a'yoke and included 'draft mechanism and a rear cross tie or tie plate-44 is-adap'ted 7 tandem, one within said yoke and another 'rearwardly "thereof'between said flat'wallsof 'saidfollowermember andyoke, at least said rearward mechanism being a 45, fixed, as :by welding,ftoone face of the cross tie and v V adapted, when that ,face "isuppermost, to underlie .and

" engage. thelegs. gThe-rear cross =tie'44, when supporting cushioning unit,- :is turned ,upsid-dO W;1 -QI t '2. Ina

being adapted to'straddle ayoke 'of an associated draft gear.

front and rear stop lugs longitudinallydefining a draft g ear-pocket; of a rear follower member interposed; betweenrsaid'front andrear stop lugs and engagingsaid'r'ear stop lugs and having aisubstantially flat front wall, a

yoke .in said pocket and having a substantially flat rear wall, -a plurality of" cushioning mechanisms arranged in rubber cushioning unit, and said 'yoke' having a pin-land slot connection with an associated coupler'for'rearward -mo;vementf of said coupler relative there'tocoextensive with travel .of said mechanism within said yoke.

draft rigging, the combination with spaced 3 Ina draft rigging, the combination with center'sills and front SLOP lugs connected thereto, of a combined back stop and center filler unit including rear stop lugs spaced forwardly of a king post of said unit and defining with said front stop lugs a draft gear pocket, a forwardly facing opening in said unit between said rear stop lugs, and a member interposed between said front and rear stop lugs and selectively positionable relative to said unit for varying the length of said pocket to accommodate draft gears of different length, said member including a block portion engageable with said stop lugs and presenting at one end of said member a substantially flat face and a pair of transversely spaced legs integral with and projecting longitudinally from an opposite face of said block portion, said legs in one position of said member projecting into said unit between said rear stop lugs and in another position extending forwardly thereof and being adapted to straddle a rear wall of a yoke and at opposite sides thereof react against a draft gear contained in said yoke.

4. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced front and rear stop lugs longitudinally defining a draft gear pocket, of a rear follower member interposed between said front and rear stop lugs and engaging said rear stop lugs and having a substantially flat front Wall, a yoke in said pocket and having a substantially fiat rear Wall, a plurality of cushioning mechanisms arranged in tandem, one within said yoke and another rearwardly thereof between said flat walls of said follower member and yoke, at least said rearward mechanism being a rubber cushioning unit, said yoke being universally connected to an associated coupler by a pin riding in slots in said yoke, and said slots being longitudinally elongated sufficiently to permit rearward movement of said coupler relative to said yoke coextensive with travel of said one cushioning mechanism.

5. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced front and rear stop lugs longitudinally defining a draft gear pocket, of a rear follower member interposed between said stop lugs and engaging the rear thereof and having a substantially flat front wall, a yoke in said pocket and having a substantially fiat rear wall, a plurality of cushioning mechanisms arranged in tandem, one within said yoke and another rearwardly thereof between said flat walls of said follower member and yoke, at least said rearward mechanism being a rubber cushioning unit, said yoke being pin and slot connected to an associated coupler for relative universal movement therebetween and relative rearward movement of said coupler coextensive with travel of said one cushioning mechanism, and a front follower interposed between said one mechanism and a butt of said yoke and having arms straddling said butt and engaging on opposite sides thereof a pin connecting said yoke and coupler for guiding said front follower on rearward movement of said coupler under hufiing forces.

6. In a draft rigging, the combination with center sills and front stop lugs fixed thereto, of a combined backstop and center filler unit, said unit including rear stop lugs spaced forwardly of a king post thereof and a substantially horizontally disposed reinforcing web connecting said rear stop lugs and king post intermediate the height of said unit, and a member interposed between said front and rear stop lugs and selectively positionable relative to said unit for varying the length of said pocket to accommodate draft gears of different length, said member comprising a block portion engageable with said rear stop ings and presenting at one end of said member a substantially fiat face, and a pair of transversely spaced, substantially parallel legs projecting from said block portion to an opposite end of said member, said legs in one position of said member extending rearwardly between said rear stop lugs and straddling said web and in another position projecting forwardly of said rear stop lugs and being adapted to straddle a yoke of an associated draft gear for transmitting bufiing forces from a draft mechanism contained in said yoke rearwardly through said block portion to said rear stop lugs.

7. In a draft rigging, the combination with center sills and front stop lugs connected thereto, of a combined backstop and center filler unit, said unit including rear stop lugs spaced forwardly of a king post of said unit and defining with said front stop lugs and center sills a draft gear pocket, and a member for adapting said pocket to accommodate a draft gear of shorter length than said pocket, said member comprising a block portion disposed transversely of said pocket and fittable within and engageable with a rear wall of a yoke and a pair of transversely spaced legs extending rearwardly therefrom, said legs being adapted to straddle a rear wall of an associated yoke and each engage one of said rear stop lugs for transmitting bufiing forces from a draft mechanism within said yoke to said rear stop lugs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 749,361 Clark Jan. 12, 1904 1,251,942 Van Dorn Jan. 1, 1918 1,273,908 OCormor July 30, 1918 1,474,225 Barrows Nov. 13, 1923 1,526,845 Drenning Feb. 17, 1925 2,645,361 Wolfe July 14, 1953 2,766,894 Campbell Oct. 16, 1956 2,776,057 Blattner Jan. 1, 1957 2,812,074 Blattner Nov. 8, 1957 

